Washington, DC (October 20, 2011) Today RetireSafe, the voice of 400,000 older Americans nationwide, called the announced Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for 2012, desperately needed, but far too little, too late for seniors across the land.

The President revealed today that cuts to Medicare and Social Security are on the table in the debt ceiling negotiations. According to theWashington Post,President Obama will propose significant reductions in Medicare spending along with changes to Social Security as possible solutions to the debt ceiling crisis. Once again Washington seems to have chosen older Americans as the solution to their years of out-of-control spending. It’s not right and it’s a breach of trust with all Americans.

A long time ago the politicians in Washington made a promise to us, not one backed up by laws but one that has been understood from the very beginning of Social Security. They promised that when we retired, the money we received from Social Security would be protected from losing its purchasing power.

Last week U.S. Representatives John “Jimmy” Duncan, Jr. (TN-2) and Daniel Lipinski (IL-3), along with six of their House colleagues introduced the CPI for Seniors Act, H.R. 1086. This critical House legislation, will finally end the use of the admittedly flawed Consumer Price Index (CPI) now used to set Social Security Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs), and directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to create a “CPI for Seniors” that is accurate, honest, and beyond reproach. RetireSafe supports this important legislation and congratulates these heroes of older Americans.

The citizens of this country delivered a loud and clear message to Washington last November – get our spending in line and reduce the size of government. Congress has an opportunity to deliver on both points of this citizen mandate right now.

Last Friday Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington Post titled, “Health-care reform, the states’ way. Her opening paragraphs assert that Obamacare (The Affordable Care Act) puts states in the driver’s seat…” and she further states that, “states aren’t just participating in implementation of the law; they’re leading it.”

Late last year, in an op-ed, I outlined the danger of letting unelected bureaucracies control us. As I said then, “This is not what the Founding Fathers envisioned; this is what they were fighting against -- the ability of a government entity, one in which they had no representation and no power to elect, having the power to affect their finances and well-being.” It was the founders fear then and my fear now that through regulations the government will institute processes that would further reduce our freedoms.

The President delivered his annual “State of the Union” address Tuesday evening. The House Chamber was different as many members chose to sit with “dates” from the other side of the aisle. The President’s speech was different as well. Rather than wading through a laundry list of accomplishments from last year, and goals for next year (an approach that historically had produced a standing ovation from one side of the chamber and a dour, sit on their hands, reaction from the other side), the President attempted to stay above the fray and used different words to express his goals. The bottom line, however, seemed to be the same – just let the government solve our problems.

The House is scheduled this week to vote on repealing Obamacare. Many new and returning politicians promised during their campaign that they would work to repeal the law, and they understandably want to get right to it. Obamacare will have a huge impact on our lives and I feel it is especially important to outline RetireSafe’s position on the repeal of Obamacare.